Yet another chapter, as promised =D Last time on Stranded (god that sounds so much like a soap opera opening ;p ) Ichi almost bit the dust and was brought to Hueco Mundo by Stark, Grimmjow wasn't happy, He made up with Ichigo after finding an outlet for his rage that WOULDN'T piss off Hallibel and Nelliel, The babies are healthy, and Ichigo was looking for a nice spot to nest! You know what that means! Oh, you probably don't ;p This is MY mind we're talking about.

Chapter 14

Grimmjow wakes abruptly to a pounding a t his door, knowing without being told something bad is going down. He can feel the pulsing reiatsu of the Shinigami out in the ivory sands, a frown tugging at his lips when Ulquiorra opens the door to confirm his suspicions.

"How many?" he asks.

"Three," the other says monotonously. "The blonde exile, a Visored alpha, and a violet haired woman… she easily took out Nnoitra, by the way. I thought you might like that information to tease him later."

"I would, thank you," the teal haired Sexta grins. "Are they causing a threat?"

"No, he attacked her first. After she beat him, they sat down to drink tea. I think they're waiting to speak with someone."

"Alright, tell Hallibel and Nelliel I want them to come with me," Grimmjow sighs as he rolls out of bed. "Stay here and watch over Ichigo."

Ulquiorra nods before hurrying down the hall to get the girls, returning just as Grimmjow finishes getting dressed to stand guard at the door. Ichigo is still sleeping; blissfully unaware he's most likely about to go back to the living world. As Grimmjow walks to the exit, he glances back at his mate with a soft frown and leaves without another word.

Kisuke is sitting with Shinji and Yorouchi, the three chatting quietly as they wait. The unconscious Arrancar Yorouchi took out is hogtied and off to the side, the Visored having gagged him when he started spewing curses and threats, and the group has turned their topic to baby names and furniture ideas. Grimmjow shows himself a few minutes later, two girls flanking him as they walk up to the small trio. The Sexta has been a Aduchas long enough to know that size means nothing compared to determination and skill, as he was a rather small Aduchas that took out many, so he keeps his guard up and his weapon close.

"Ah! Might I guess you're the one in charge here?" Kisuke asks jovially.

"Yes, I am."

"What's with the girls?" Yorouchi wonders curiously. "Not to say girls aren't dangerous, I'm one after all… but… I didn't expect you to arrive with such an entourage."

"They're probably the most dangerous in my group," he smirks. "I like to keep them around in case I get into trouble… especially with Shinigami. If you recall, Hallibel couldn't be felled within the Winter War… until Aizen betrayed her."

"Yes, I remember," Yorouchi frowns. "And the other?"

"Nelliel was the first to have Hallibel's position, didn't fall until she was ganged up on by two comrades. Plus, she's Hallibel's mate and Hallibel is an alpha female… not something one wants to go up against if Ichigo is any indication. He's a young one and Hallibel is an experienced one."

"Damn," Shinji mutters. "I'd like to take this moment to state we're not here for trouble."

"Good."

"We wanted to know if you're in possession of our dear little Ichigo," Kisuke remarks. "He's come up missing and we'd really like him back if at all possible."

Grimmjow frowns, yet brushes the comment off. He knows Ichigo can't stay here… he just hoped he'd have him a little bit longer. At the invitation to sit down, Grimmjow joins the group. Hallibel and Nelliel stay standing at his side, poised to pounce at any given notice.

"Ichigo is here. He ran away from your shop and fell off the bridge; Stark had caught him and brought him here without my knowledge… I apologize," Grimmjow sighs.

"Great! That's what I thought happened, though I'll admit I wasn't expecting a life threatening thing such as that," he muses. "So… we'll be taking him back?"

"I don't know if that's a good idea," Grimmjow sighs. "Szayel looked him over after he got here… things are… growing difficult."

"What do you mean?" Yorouchi growls. "What's wrong with him?"

"I trusted you to keep him safe… you did so. I also trusted you to keep him healthy… but you don't really know enough to do that," he comments softly. "He wasn't getting the vitamins and minerals needed, so Szayel made up a few mixtures and placed them into pills… he'll be getting them now. Unfortunately, there's another problem we have no control over."

"Spit it out!" the violet haired woman demands.

"The pregnancy is going too fast," he informs gravely. "We have so much reiatsu, that the cubs are feeding on more of it than need be… they're growing at a faster rate than usual because of that."

"What?" Kisuke asks a bit stunned.

"The growth of cubs is based on the amount of reiatsu the have to feed off of without killing their parents," Nelliel supplies. "Ichigo and Grimmjow have more reiatsu than normal parents, especially together, so the cubs will naturally grow at a faster rate."

The group stands, Grimmjow following in case they attack, and two of the three turn away. At his questioning glance, the Visored that stayed facing them looks them over. Shinji isn't positive he wants to leave Ichigo alone here, however these Arrancar care for the youth and that's enough for him… for now.

"We'll leave Ichigo in your care for the time being," he states. "Do take very good care of him… he's one of my pack and I'm extremely over protective of my pack. We have to report these findings to the So-Taicho… he's under the impression Ichigo can be kept healthy and alive within Seireitei and without his mate. We're doing all we can to convince him otherwise."

"… I'm planning on taking him back to the world of the living when he goes into labor," Grimmjow replies. "He's not safe here, not when in labor. He'd also like his family and friends present."

"Understood. I apologize for trying to keep him from you to begin with… I warned the Shinigami, but they're very stubborn. I know you love him, that you won't let anything happen to him, but I still don't trust you. Ichigo is fragile and I know how much Arrancar despise weakness."

"He's not a weakness… he's my strength," Grimmjow smirks. "I would tear down worlds to keep him safe."

"As would we," Hallibel hisses. "He's our cub now."

She grips Nelliel's wrist and marches off, a bemused Shinji waving farewell before hurrying after the two leaving. Grimmjow sighs and darts off to find his mate after releasing Nnoitra, worry gnawing at his gut now that the Shinigami have made an appearance. It won't be long before they're storming Hueco Mundo with blades drawn, cutting down all in their way to retrieve the strongest member of their ranks.

Ichigo is back wandering the halls, ignoring everyone that passes him in favor of keeping up his search. He doesn't know why, but he's been keeping an eye out for a small space to keep him safe for three days now. He wasn't told of the Shinigami stopping by and Grimmjow is surprised they haven't come back yet, however he knows something had happened. He woke with Ulquiorra guarding the door, which meant Grimmjow was called way. When the other returned, he had pulled Ichigo back into their room and thoroughly ravished him quite a few times before they both passed out… the best day of Ichigo's life thus far!

"Ichigo, what are you doing?" Szayel wonders as he passes the orangette.

"Looking," he mutters thoughtlessly.

"For what, pray tell?"

"A nook."

The older male sighs and shakes his head, reaching to touch Ichigo's arm only to pull back at the warning hiss. It doesn't take his extensive genius to figure out what's happening to the teen, the scientist rolling his eyes as he puts his hands on his hips.

"Ichigo, you're nearing labor," he comments. "I have to get you ready to leave, call Grimmjow, find a decent blanket for the cubs, alert your exile Shinigami, get a hold of your family and friends… there's so much to do, I don't have time for your attitude."

Ichigo looks at him in surprise, blinking owlishly as his mind attempts to process what's been said… all he gets is 'labor' and 'cubs'. Panic flits across his amber pools, his body tensing at the realization he's been looking for a place to have his cubs. The pink haired male carefully leads him to his lab, sitting him down and giving a pointed look that clearly states 'do not move or I'll tell Hallibel something untrue to get her to punish you'… that has Ichigo sitting quite still.

The whole of Los Noches is in an uproar as news travels through it, growing more and more outlandish as it's passed from one mouth to the next. By the time it actually reaches Grimmjow, as Szayel has yet to find him, he's under the impression Ichigo's dying and the cubs are chewing through his stomach. He barges into the scientist's lab with a stricken look upon his face.

"Oh good, you made it," Szayel smiles with a calm tone. "He's fine, just waiting for you."

"Don't fucking do that!" Grimmjow snaps. "I almost had a fucking heart attack you little bitch! You know I hate that damn 'telephone' shit!"

"Yes, but if you thought he was fine, you'd procrastinate in getting back here," he points out. "I couldn't afford to have you lollygagging about, so I told Ulquiorra Ichigo was having complications with his cubs… I don't know what you heard, but apparently it worked well."

"I heard he was dying!"

"… Well… good thing he's not!" the other states with a bit of pep. "Come now, we have so much to get done and so little time to do it! Would you like to get in touch with the Shinigami? It should be you, considering you're in charge here now…"

Grimmjow listens to Szayel start talking rather quickly, a sure sign he's nervous if ever the Sexta's seen one, and sighs inwardly. Ichigo is sitting on the examination table, stiff and unmoving as his eyes follow the ranting Arrancar. With a smirk, Grimmjow moves toward his lover and gently pulls him close. He lays a kiss upon his brow and whispers assurances to him, allowing Ichigo a bit of comfort before he heads off to get ahold of the blonde shopkeeper and the Shinigami.

The Shinigami are in a meeting when Kisuke's forces his way through with a screen, a happy grin upon his features as he beams down at the So-Taicho like a father about to become a grandfather. The old man's brow twitches, his grip tightening on his staff as he awaits the reason for the interruption.

"Hello!" Kisuke chirps out. "I would just like to inform everyone that Ichigo will be going into labor in less than a day or two! I have with me the leader of Hueco Mundo, ready to attempt negotiations on a treaty between the Arrancar and Shinigami! Isn't that great?"

"There will be no negotiations," Yamamoto growls. "Arrancar cannot be trusted!"

"We can't be trusted?" Grimmjow snaps as he pushes Kisuke to the side. "We can't be trusted? Who the hell do you think he's gonna choose to stay with? The Shinigami that were the cause of all this through their deceit and games, or the ones that have been taking care of him all this time? Where were your stupid asses when he ran away from your 'safe haven'? Where were you when my guy was saving his ass from drowning after he used up all his energy running off and fell off a bridge?"

"How do we know you're not making that up? That you didn't come and kidnap him?"

"Kidnap him? He's my mate! If I wanted to keep him with me, I would've taken him much earlier than that!"

"Okay!" Kisuke comments quickly. "I think these negotiations are starting out really well! Now we have to get past the anger and accusations in order to work on peace!"

"Fuck that!" Grimmjow snarls. "Ichi doesn't want to come back anyway, he's perfectly happy with me."

"You'll do no such thing!" Yamamoto snaps. "He'll be brought back and transferred to Unohana within the walls of Seireitei! We'll decide what to do with the… things… he gives birth to later."

Grimmjow face pales before it's twisted in fury, an animalistic snarl ripped from his lips as he narrows his gaze. This isn't going well at all, if someone doesn't do something to dissipate this tension Grimmjow's going to kill someone. Thankfully, the release comes from Seireitei.

"Actually," Mayuri remarks. "It would benefit us greatly to reach some sort of agreement with the Arrancar and Visoreds."

"… Explain," the old man huffs.

"Think about it… how much do we really know about these breeds? Nothing at all. We know they're powerful, we're aware they have room to grow… possibly evolve if that's what Aizen was working to gain… but other than that we have but a blank slate to work with," he sighs out. "To be on good terms with them gives us ample opportunity to observe them, to learn from their sides of things we've yet to figure out… such as the whole 'mating season' thing that started all this. Although we saw what Kurosaki went through, we really didn't learn much."

"That's right," Kisuke grins. "The Arrancar and Visoreds know all the ins and outs of what they go through, how they work, and how they think! Who better to learn from than one who's gone through it?"

"Not to mention, a treaty with them will make Kurosaki happy," Byakuya adds. "You remember what he was like when he wasn't happy, correct? When he came to save Rukia from execution? I believe he's far stronger now… not someone I'm eager to go up against."

So-Taicho realizes just how much of a losing argument this is, grumbling as he gives in to the majority. Kisuke grins widely, doing a happy dance in his mind as he plans out a new gigai for Arrancar use. If Grimmjow is to stay with Ichigo, he'll need a gigai. Grimmjow sighs in relief, a slight smile touching his lips at the thought of keeping his mate happy and safe. Ichigo means the world to him and he'd do anything for that gorgeous beta, however stressful these Shinigami may be… they're Ichigo's friends and comrades, so Grimmjow needs to learn how to deal with them.

Ichigo is lying within his inner world, Shiro at his side as they just enjoy the silence between them for once. The orangette is afraid, that much is apparent to the pale mimic. Shiro can sense Ichigo's fear as the other tries to hide it, the snow y duplicate hating it while at the same time sympathizing with the teen. The orangette has never been through something like this, this is completely new territory to him… and Shiro knows he could die during birth.

"Aibou," he murmurs with a sigh. "Ya know… I really do like ya. I didn' ever wanna hurt ya, I just wanted ta train ya up real good."

"… Where's this coming from?" Ichigo asks curiously.

"Just in case… somethin' happens ta ya," he mutters. "I want ya ta know, I'd do anythin' fer ya if it meant ya get ta live another day."

"What are you not telling me?" the orangette inquires with a frown as he sits up.

"… Ichi… ya might not make it through this birth," Shiro remarks. "It's too soon fer a first time ma ta have cubs… yer body didn' get enough time ta adjust ta it."

"Grimmjow didn't say anything."

"He won'… I shouldn' have," he states with a hint of regret. "It might just make things worse on ya."

"I still have time though, right?"

"Yeah, ya still got time. They ain't ready yet."

Ichigo sighs in relief, looking back to the sky and closing his eyes. Grimmjow should've told him, but he understands why he didn't. Shiro moves closer to him, drawing Ichigo close as he wraps his arms around him. Nothing will happen to the amber eyed male, he won't let it, but he just had to get that off his chest.

The orangette wakes to find Grimmjow bustling around the lab eagerly, a wide grin on his lips. He's curious, yet says nothing. Ulquiorra roams into the room, glancing at Ichigo only a moment before looking to the one that called him.

"You wanted to see me?" he comments.

"Yes! I need you to go to the shopkeeper's place," Grimmjow informs. "You'll be meeting the leader of the Visoreds and the leader of the Shinigami for a treaty, so look it over very carefully."

"A treaty? How did you manage that?" the raven asks with apparent curiosity.

"I almost didn't happen," he admits sheepishly. "I got into a shouting match with the So-Taicho five second in, but the other Shinigami liked the idea."

"Figures," the smaller male huffs. "I should've gone with you the first time; diplomacy is not your forte."

Grimmjow waves him off, moving over to gather Ichigo's pills and dumping them into a small satchel. There are already clothes there from what the orangette can see, yet he's not sure what's going on yet. Both men turn to see Ichigo watching them.

"We're leaving, Kitten," Grimmjow smiles. "Kisuke said we can stay with them for now, but we'll have to go out to look for a new place."

"A… new place?" he asks in confusion.

"Yep!"

"Both of us?"

"That's right," the Sexta grins. "I'm staying with you in the living world."

Warmth spreads within the smaller male, a small smile quickly gaining in size as joy takes hold. Taking that as a good sign, Grimmjow scoops his mate into his arms and grabs the bad he set aside. Szayel and the other Espada will be coming with him, helping with both the treaty and taking care of his pregnant mate. The others are already waiting for them; Szayel giving one last check to Ichigo before nodding his approval… the teen is still travel worthy. Stark is the one that opens the Gargantua, everyone splitting into two halves in hopes of covering the couple to the best of their ability.

The first obstacle to the group upon arrival… is Yorouchi. The woman jumps them like a rabid feline ready to kill for her cub, throwing them out of the way easily to reach Ichigo. After Yorouchi, the Shinigami surround them with hands caressing the hilts of their Zanpakto. The Arrancar are on edge now, glaring at the Shinigami and praying this isn't a trap. They have no doubt they can hold them off in order for the retreat to be made, but they'd prefer not to test that.

"We apologize," Yamamoto sighs as he motions for hands to drop. "We didn't know how hostile you might be with Ichigo in our midst. Welcome to the world of the living."

"Thank you," Grimmjow states. "We understand your caution, but you've nothing to worry about. As long as you don't hurt us, we won't hurt you."

"And some of us have mates, so you'd do well to keep your hands to yourself," Hallibel hisses.

"Hallibel," Stark frowns. "I doubt they're interested in mating with us."

Ichigo looks upon the Shinigami gratefully, holding the arms wrapped around his waist as he feels Grimmjow leaning his chin atop his orange locks. He's so ecstatic it's obvious, injecting the same happiness he's feeling into the hearts of those around him.

"Thank you so much," Ichigo smiles. "I knew you guys wouldn't let me down! I just knew risking my life on your behalf so often would gain me at least one favor."

The comment draws an awkward silence from the Shinigami, yet Yamamoto comes to realize just how much they've been asking and the amount of thanks they've given. Ichigo is an important asset to them; however they've been taking and taking without giving anything. It's a surprise the smaller male hasn't given up on them and cut all ties, something they should be thankful of. Looking back on the impressive list of battles and the war Ichigo took part in, this one little favor should've been nothing to the Shinigami… he deserves this happiness. Although he's not completely convinced they should let the cubs live once Ichigo has them, they can at least watch their progress easier if they're on good terms with the orangette. The look Grimmjow holds is utter happiness and love, something that surprises the So-Taicho and tells them there certainly are things they don't know about these Arrancar.

Wow... stick it to them with niceties, Ichi. He seems so relieved, yet sounds so evil while digging the needle deeper. Anyway, good ending! A treaty is on the way and so are Ichi's cubs! =)